Closures for apertures



ug- 2, 1955 N. sTRAussLER CLOSURES FOR APERTURES 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 25, 1952 'Il (/o I l l INVENTOR. /1//c//45 S'rR//assz En? BY /Q Aug. 2, 1955 N. sTRAUssLER CLOSURES FOR APERTURES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 25, 1952 III'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA mmmmmmmw "Il di 4l I N V EN TOR. Mal/o4 ,45 576405545? Uni CLOSURES FR APERTURES Nicholas Stranssler, Piccadiliy, London, England Applikation April 23, 1952, Serial No. 283,905 s claims. (ci. zii-4a) This invention relates generally to protective closures for apertures, such as window or door openings equipped with glass, and pertains to what may be considered removable emergency closures which can be readily placed in position for closing a window aperture and can be as readily removed therefrom without the employment of auxiliary equipment such as nails, bolts and tools, such closure being disclosed in my pending British specication No. 13,964, dated lune 13, 1951, for improvements in or relating to window shieids and the like, and upon lthe date of which specification I base my priority accordance with R. S. 4,887; 35 U. S. C., Section 32.

The prime object of the present invention is to provide a self-contained, self-suiicient shieid or closure for apertures, such as the frames of windows or doors, which can oe readily inserted into and securely fastened or removed from an aperture for which it is intended.

Another object of this invention is to provide a selfcontained `and self-suiicient closure for apertures in which is employed an edge-extending device forming a part of the closure and which device is intended to compensate for any discrepancy in dimension between the aperture and the closure.

A more specific object of the present invention is the provision of a safety closure for apertures consisting of a sheet member approximating in contour but being somewhat smaller in size than that of the aperture for which it is intended, and with which sheet member there is permanently associated an edge-extending element adapted to be positioned beyond the periphery of the sheet member to not only compensate for the difference in size between the sheet member and the aperture, but to eiect secure anchorage of the .sheet member in the aperture and to prevent its movement relative to the latter.

The foregoing and numerous other important objects and additional advantages of the presen-t invention will become more fully apparent from the ensuing description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a closure in accordance with the present invention intended for a rectangular aperture, such as a glassed window frame;

Fig. 2 is a section taken approximately along lines 2 2 of Fig. 1, showing the edge-extending device in its contracted position;

Fig. 3 is a similar illustration to that of Fig. 2 with the edge-extending device in its expanded, outward position;

Fig. 4 is a section taken approximately along lines 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken along lines 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detail section taken along line 6 6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a section taken along lines 7 7 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a section taken along lines 3 3 of Fig. 2; and

r tion of the edge-expanding device.

Fig. 1 discloses a rectangular window frame 10 within which is held a sheet member 11 which is smaller in size than that of the opening of frame lil, as indicated by broken lines and as may be clearly seen in the brokenoit' portion at the upper right-hand corner. It is of course preferred that an edge-enclosing resilient molding, mounting or bead 12 be placed along the entire periphery or outer edge of the sheet member, except that at the lefthand lower corner of the sheet member the vertical and horizontal bead portions terminate short, as indicated at 1.2 and 12.

At that corner there will be seen a channel-shaped corner element 13, clearly observable in section from Figs. 2 and 3, which is adapted to not only engage the two opposite faces of the lett-hand lower corner area of sheet member 11 but also to cooperate with the corner edges of that area, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This channelshaped corner element in effect is a corner-extending device since it is adapted to shift diagonally either in out- 5' ward direction against frame 10 or in inward direction tou/ar s the corner edges of sheet member 11.

Corner-extending device 13 is operated by a linkage generally indicated at 14, composed of the following elements: A hinge support 15 which is xedly secured to sheet member 11 and comprising a bracket, clearly seen in Fig. 8, in which is journaled a pin 16 serving as a hinge for one of the 'linkage arms 17. The latter may take the form of either two parallel bars 18 or a channel with flanged corresponding to bars 18, or may be constructed in any other suitable manner.

The other end of linkage arm 17 is hingedly connected with one end of another linkage arm 19 by means of a pin 21?, similar to pin 16. Linkage arm 19 again comprises either two parallel bars 21 or a channel with ilanges corresponding to bars 21. The other end of linkage arm 19 is hingedly connected with corner-extending device 13 by means .of a bracket 22 secured thereto, and hinge pin 23 lodged in the bracket.

.Between bars 18 of linkage arm 17, there is provided an abutment or socket 24 clearly seen in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, which abutment serves for accommodating a knurled nut 25 engaging bolt 26, which latter is hingedly associated at 27 with a bracket 28 afiixed to sheet `member 11.

Operation in placing the closure into the window opening, nut 25 is brought to its outward position shown in Fig. 2, whereby the linkage can be elevated at its joint point 2t), so that corner channel 13 is caused to abut with the corner edges of sheet member 11. Now the closure is inserted into frame 10, whereupon nut 25 is moved down against sheet member 11, thus causing the linkage to flatten or spread to the position shown in Fig. 3. Due to that spreading movement of the linkage corner device 13 is forced with its outer edges against the left-hand lower interior corner of frame 1d, thus anchoring sheet member 11 in position and preventing it from disengaging the frame.

When it is desired to remove the closure from the window opening, nut 25 is again elevated to the position shown in Fig. 2, whereupon the closure may be removed.

'the body of sheet member 11 may be made of either plywood, wood composition, sheet metal or a combination of metal and wood sheets, or of any other suitable sheet material which is cut to approximately the size of, but is preferably slightly smaller than the window or door frame on the room side thereof, so that the ready fitting of the closure into the frame is facilitated. Through the operation of the mechanism which moves corner device 13, a considerable force can be exerted in diagonal direction of the sheet member so that the latter is firmly held within the opening.

As stated, it is preferred to provide the closure with a resilient edge mounting, molding or bead 12. which is intended to prevent draft or ingress of gas or Water. Such bead may be made of rubber or any other suitable material which will add to the frictional engagement between the closure and the aperture for which latter the closure is intended. Obviously, while the closure is primarily designed for safety purposes, it can be readily employed for temporarily or permanently closing otherwise open apertures.

As previously stated, the illustrations submitted particularly deal with a closure for a rectangular opening in which an expansible corner device is shown. In the event a closure is to be provided for apertures of oval, circular or other shapes, the corner-shaped device will be substituted by an expansible structure corresponding to the contour of the aperture to be closed. Similarly variations and changes in the linkage arrangement may have to be made, for which reason it is deemed that such changes or modiiications as may be required due to the employment of the present invention for closing differently shaped apertures reside Within the broad scope thereof as dened in the annexed claims.

What is claimed as new is:

l. In a self-contained closure for apertures, the combination with a portable sheet member or the like approximating but being somewhat smaller in size than that of the aperture for which it is intended and being normally disassociated from the aperture, of a linkageoperated mobile element associated with and located at at least one corner of said sheet member and being operative in respect to and beyond said sheet member for forcibly holding the latter within the aperture when placed into the latter.

2. l'n a closure for the purpose indicated, the combination with a sheet member, of an edge-extending element operatively secured thereto and comprising a substantially channel-shaped structure for engaging two opposite face portions and an edge portion of the sheet 1" member and corresponding in contour to the edge contour of said sheet member, a two-arm linkage for operating said element either toward or away from the edge of said sheet member, said linkage comprising a xed support, one of its arms pivotally associated with the latter at one of its ends, the other linkage arm pivotally associated at one end with said element, its other end pivotally engaging the other end of said one arm, and an operating device for said linkage arms comprising a lixed bracket secured to said sheet member, a bolt hingedly associated with and extending from said bracket,

fi a nut abutment provided with said one arm, said bolt extending through said abutment, and a nut for said bolt cooperating with said abutment.

3. in a closure for the purpose indicated, the combination with parallelogrammatic sheet member, of a corner-extending element operatively associated with one corner area of that member and comprising a substantially channel-shaped corner structure adapted for engaging opposite face portions and adjacent edge portions of that corner area, and an operating mechanism for said element, said mechanism comprising an expansible and contractable linkage composed of two inter-hinged arms and a bolt and nut for operating the linkage, one of the arms being pivotally connected at one end with said sheet member, the other arm being hingedly associated at one end with said element, said bolt being hingedly associated with and extending from said sheet member, an abutment for the nut carried by said one arm, said bolt passing through that abutment.

4. In a self-contained closure for apertures, such as window frame or door openings, the combination with a portable sheet member or the like approximating in size but being somewhat smaller than the aperture for which it is intended and being adapted to be normally disassociated from but placeable into the aperture, of a linkage-operated mobile corner element operatively associated with but one corner area of said member and adapted, when operated, to extend beyond that corner area of said member for forcibly maintaining the member within the aperture when placed thereinto.

5. ln a self-contained closure for apertures, such as window frame or door openings, the combination with a portable sheet member or the like approximating in size but being somewhat smaller than the aperture for which it is intended and being adapted to be normally disassociated from but placeable into the aperture, of a linkage-operated mobile corner element operatively associated with but one corner area of said member and adapted, when operated, to extend beyond that corner area of said member for forcibly maintaining the member within the aperture when placed thereinto, said mobile element comprising a substantially channel-shaped structure movable relative to and engaging two opposite face portions and a corresponding edge portion of the sheet member, and a linkage ixedly secured at one end to said member, its other, movable end being associated with said element, and means for operating said linkage for either holding said element in abutment with the edge portion or moving it in outward driection.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 985,800 Hartbauer Mar. 7, 1911 1,764,759 Smith June 17, 1930 1,765,244 Schwein June 17, 1930 2,003,982 Swanson June 4, 1935 2,008,329 Macleod July 16, 1935 2,296,985 Cresswell Sept. 29, 1942 2,602,970 Gouge July 15, 1952 

